

m 



fAB. 



OPHIOGLOSSUM PEN DULU M 



FILICES. 



Ophioglosse/e. Br., Kaulf. Stachyopterides. Willd 



Gen. Char. OPHIOGLOSSUM. Linn. 



Capsula nudae, in spicam articulatam disticham con 



natae, uniloculares, transverse dehiscentes, bivalves. Willd. 



Ophioglossum pendulum ; fronde pendula lineari dichotoma, spica pedunculata medio frondis inserta. 

 Ophioglossum pendulum. Linn. Sp. PL p. 1518. Swartz. Syn. Fil. p. 170. Willd. Sp. Pl. 



v. 5. p. 60. Smith in Rees Cycl. Sieber Herb. Fil. n. 16. 

 Scolopendria. Rumph. Amb. v. 6. p. 84. t. 3?.f. 3. 



Hab. In arboribus Amboynae, ubi rarum. Ru? 



imphius. 

 montibus excelsis insulae Owhyhee. David Nelson 



Mauritii. CarmichaeL Sieber 



Et 



Parasiticum. Frondes 



eadem parva tuberculata radice, pendentes, bi-tripedales, usque ad quinque ped 



longae, basi angustae, deinde lineares, tenues, siccitate coriaceo-membranaceae, 6 lineas ad pollic 

 pliciter vel bis dichotomse, virides, reticulatae, areolis 



elongatis ; segmentis apice obtusis, margine undique 



lntegernmo. 



Spica pedunculata, nunc basin versus, prope medium, vel infra apicem, frondis sita, digitum ad pedem longa, pen- 



dula, linearis, compressa, marginibus utrinque capsulifera. Hae capsulce arcte connatae, sphaericae, transversim 

 dehiscentes. 



Pedunculus duas uncias longus, teres. 

 Semina parva sphaerica fusco-lutea. 



Fig. 1. Capsula dehiscens. f. 2. Semina : — magn. auct. 









This noble species of Ophioglossum, only perhaps exceeded in size by the South American Ophio- 



glossum palmatum, has been sent to us from the Mauritius by Captain Carmichael (from whose 



specimens the accompanying figure has been drawn) and by Dr. Sieber. It is probably not uncom- 

 mon there. In Amboyna, Rumphius says, it is exceedingly rare. In the Banksian Herbarium, 

 Sir James Smith tells us, very fine specimens are preserved, gathered by Mr. David Nelson upon 

 the high mountains of Owhyhee. 



1 



Leman, in the Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles, suggests that 011 more minute examination 



■ 



of the fructification, this species will be found distinct from the genus Ophioglossum : but we see 

 no reason for entcrtaining such an opinion. 





